HUNDREDS of students figured in a massive arts programme run at a Theale Green School with the help of more than a dozen professional artists.

About 750 pupils at the Church Street school abandoned their normal timetable in favour of a week-long session of art workshops which included making life-size papier-mâché figures, building percussion instruments from junk and performing in murder-mystery drama sessions.

Classes also made American Indian-style clay relief panels and learned dance techniques from salsa to breakdancing in the week, put on thanks to the school's arts college status.

Spokesman David Wall said the week was "one of the most ambitious offered by any school" and had been a huge success.